Thankful for the Melody
by American Honey45
Summary: Christine is long gone, but Erik still lives on in the Opera House. He finds that he cant let go of her. A wise young 16 year old girl helps Erik to move on and feel happy again. Oneshot. Please Read and Review!


I looked out over the long forgotten Opera House. My greatest love had once lived and thrived in this great city. I sighed and turned my back on the run down place. I knew she was no longer here. Not just Paris, but she had left this world behind forever.

I adjusted my mask as I had taken to doing recently. I thought of all the trouble that my horrid face had caused. Allowing myself just a moment of pleasure, which were so few, I slid down against the wall and closed my eyes. I thought of a simpler time, when I had loved singing. I rarely did sing anymore, except for me to give my new student her lessons.

Just then I heard a voice, singing. My eyes shot open and I groaned. Melody. I forgot that she had lessons today. I leaned my head against the wall and I thought about the day I found Melody.

I was swinging through the rafters when I heard a sniffeling noise coming from the old burned out stage. When I swung down I saw a girl with pure white skin and blonde hair laying facedown on the stage. I told her that if she stopped crying I would teach her a lesson.

"Will you? What kind of lesson?" I felt her sweet little voice washing over me. I looked down at her big green eyes, which were filled to the brim with tears, which she was trying hard to hold back.

"I will teach you how to sing." I will never forget how that little blonde girl grabbed my neck and gave me a huge hug.

"Oh! Thank you, Thank you , THANK YOU, Sir! What is your name?"

"You may call me Erik."

"That is a lovely name, Erik. My name is Melody!"

"You have quite a beautiful name."

The little girl giggled and told me that she would be back tomarrow and she ran off. Her excitment was quite obvious...

I came back to real life to see a 16 year old girl standing in front of me. I had been teaching Melody ever since she was twelve. Four years had gone by since we met. Not once had she asked me about my mask, or my face, or my troubled past.

"Are you okay Erik?"

"I'm alright. Are you ready for your lessons?"

"Yeah."

Melody and I made our way down to the catacombs where I made my home. After a short ride, where Melody would not stop chattering. I sat down at the organ and began playing Melody's warmups. She sang them wonderfully, so I moved into the song we were currently working on.

The song was the first that my Christine had sung in the spotlight.

"Think of me, Think of me fondly

When we've said

Goodbye."

I was lost in thought and my fingers started to move on their own. I began to play a differant song.

"Erik? Erik! What's wrong? What song is this? I have never heard it before." Melody's gentle voice brought me back to my senses. I stopped playing and I touched my face. I felt warm wet tears running down my cheeks.

Melody came over to me and wraped her arm around my shoulders. I put my head in my hands and sat there crying.

"If you stop crying, I'll teach you a lesson."

"What kind of lesson?" I whispered. I was totally convinced that nothing could stem the flow of tears.

"I will tell you how to let go."

"How to let go of what?"

"Her."

I looked at Melody. "How did you know. Those damn tears wouldn't stop.

"That day when you found me. I never told you, but I was crying because I lost my mother. And I know how to let it go."

"How do you do it?"

"You sing. You sing your soul out, sing your feelings."

"Can I ask you something? Where did you get so smart?"

"An old friend taught me. I don't think you've heard of him. He lives under the Opera house."

"You know? I might have heard of him somewhere. One more thing, why have you never asked me about my face?"

"Because there is nothing wrong with your face. I know what you look like, but seriously, I can see deeper than that. Now Erik, let her go. You can do it."

Melody began to play the organ and I opened my mouth and began to sing.

"Angel of music, you denied me

turning from true beauty."

I felt the pleasure of singing returning. I felt myself letting go, and for the first time in a while, I felt myself feeling happy.


End file.
